Pressure responsive valve



April 30, 1935. A. c. KLEcKNE-R ETAL V 1,999,698

PRESSURE RESPONS IVE .VALVE original Filed April l11, 1935 zz i , n@ vzaei'izds Ma-wa), H" "l vided with a by-pass for conducting excess liq-v Patented Apr. 30, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE 1,999,698 PRESSURE RESPONSIVE vALvE consin Original application April 11, 1933, Serial No. 665,539. Divided and this application April 16,

1934, Serial No. 720,706

9 Clarins.

The present invention relates to pressure responsive valves and has as one of itsl primary objects to simplify, render more efficient, and improve devices of this character. The invention, while capable of many and-diversified uses, nds particular utility when used in connection with oil burners for automatically maintaining a constant pressure on the fuel supplied to the burner and for completely stopping this flow at all times when the pressure is below a predetermined desirable operating pressure.

The present application is a division of our prior application, Serial No. 665,539, iiled April 11, 1933, for Pressure responsive valves,l and relates specically to the modied form of valve shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the parent application. The above-mentioned parent application relates specifically to the type of valves shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3 of the parent application.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of an improved oil burner fuel supply system in which the oil supply is shut off more promptly than the devices of the prior art when the oil burner is shut down.

With the oil burner pressure regulating valves of the prior art, the pressure regulating valve is adapted to shut oi the fuel oil under pressure when the oil pump stops and the pressure of the oil diminishes. However, it requires an appreciable length of time for the pressure regulating valves of the prior art to act, and undesirable operating characteristics are caused by the failure of the valve to act soon enough in shutting on the flow of oil to the nozzle.

The sequence of operation of the elements of an exemplary oil pressure regulator valve of the prior art will now be described for the purpose of showing the undesirable characteristics which are eliminated by means of the present invention.

When the motor is shut off, the pump, 'which generates the pressure in the oil, stops, as it is driven by the motor, and the fan, which supplies the air to the burner, also stops quite promptly. These rotating elements coast to a position of rest, depending upon the damping action of the fan and the stronger damping action of the pump and the momentum Which'the rotating parts have. Due to the damping action of the pump, the motor, fan and pump would stop quite quick- 1r.

Where the pressure regulating valve is prouid fuel back to the tank, this release of the gpress'ure'back to the tank would permit the pressure to diminish in the pressure chamber of the regulating valve quite quickly after the pump stops, and the diaphragm or bellows would close the by-pass valte quite soon after the pump stops. However, it usually requires an appreciable time before the pressure drops in the pressure chamber of the regulating valve to such a point that the outlet valve to the nozzle is closed, and during this time when the air supply has been shut down but the oil supply is still continuing, combustion goes on at the burner nozzle with a reduced supply of oxygen.

This delivery of oil after the blower has been stopped causes imperfect combustion, carbonization of the adjacent parts, and a pufiing noise in the furnace due to the lack of air. This puffing of the furnace during the shutting off of the burner can sometimes be heard in parts of the building remote from the furnace; it is very annoying to 'the occupants, and it is an undesirable operating characteristic, which it is the object of this invention to eliminate.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved pressure responsive valve which is adapted to close the output valve or needie valve to the nozzle during the initial movement of the pressure responsive bellows beyond a predetermined amount after thel pump has been shut down; in other words, it is an object to provide* a valve in which the output valve is rst opened and then the by-pass valve, and in which A on the closing operation the output valve is first lclosed and then the by-pass valve closed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved regulator valve by means of which the delivery of oil after the blower has stopped is eliminated or minimized so as to eliminate combustion in the furnace at that time when there would be a lack of oxygen to support the combustion properly. f

Another object is the provision of a plurality of improved forms of pressure responsive valves of this type which are distinguished by their simplicity of operation and construction and which insure a supply of fuel to the burner after a constant predetermined pressure, but which cut on" the supply of fuel to the burner as soon as possible when the burner is to be shut down.

Referring to the single sheet of drawings accompanying this specification,

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view taken upon a plane passing through the axis of the substantially cylindrical valve casing, showing the details of construction'of one pressure responsive valve constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, I0

5 indicates in its entirety the pressure responsive valve, which preferably comprises a metal casing II having the inlet I2, burner outlet I3, and by-pass outlet I4. The casing II is preferably substantially cylindrical in shape, but may assume various forms capable of accomplishing the results described herein, and in some cases may be incorporated in a combined valve strainer and pump unit, with strainers of the type shown in the prior application of Harrison E. Fellows, Serial No. 603,734, filed [April '7, 1932, and pumps vof the type shown ir the prior application of Arthur C. Kleckner, Serial No. 604,834, filed April The cylinder casing is preferably provided with outwardly projecting bosses I5, I6, I1 having bores I2, I3 and I4 which are provided with pipe threads for receiving the conduit pipes I8, I9 and 20, which lead from a pump to a nozzle and back to a tank respectively.

The inlet conduit I 2 preferably leads to the interior of the valve casing II communicating with the pressure chamber 2|, and the nozzle outlet I3 also preferably communicates directly with the pressure chamber 2I.

The bore I3 preferably'leads to a smaller bore 22, which has a pressed or threaded t with a sleeve 23 which is formed with a valve seat 24 and provided with a bore 25 communicating with the bore I3. The valve seat 24 is adapted to cooperate with a substantially conical point 26 on a needle Valve 21. The needle valve is provided with a head 28 and with a stem 29 of reducedslze, thereby forming an annular shoulder 30 above the head, which is adapted to serve as a stop.

A stirrup 3I- may consist of a strip of metal bent to substantially rectangular shape, as shown, and the stirrup is provided with a bore 32 for passing the sleeve 23. Sleeve 23 may have a head 33, and the lower yoke of stirrup 3| may be conned between head 33 and the inside wall of caslng II. At its upper side the stirrup 3I may be v'also provided with a bore 34, or it may have the opposite ends of the stirrup directed inwardly toward each other above the annular shoulder 30 on the head of the needle valve 21. Thus the stop anges,35 of stirrup 3| are adaptedko limit the upward movement of the needle valve 21 and hold it in the same position to prevent its further opening while the other parts of the mechanism may continue to move upward.

The cap 5I of the housing is preferably provided with the outlet port I4 which may be connected to the outlet pipe 20 in such manner that the outlet communicates with the interior vof the bellows 55.

The upper part of the casing II'ls preferably provided with an open end which may be closed by a cover or cap 5I. Casing II and cap 5I are provided with complementary threads, and the cap 5I is adapted to clamp against the flat upper end of the casing, supporting plate 52, .and a huid-tight gasket 53.

The annular supporting plate 52 preferably is offset at 54 and at its inner circular edge it may support one end of a pressure responsive flexible bellows. The annular supporting member 52 is clamped between the uppermost folds of the bellows 55, and the joint is suitably welded or soldered to provide a duid-tight joint.

The bellows is also provided with an end plate 61 at the oppositeend, of substantially circular shape, and formed with a seat for the spring,

which is clamped between the lowermost folds of the bellows and suitably soldered, welded, or otherwise secured to form a-fluid-tight joint.

The end plate 61 is provided with a centrally located aperture 68, forming a valve opening and valve seat. End plate 61 may support a threaded sleeve 69, which is adapted to support an inter-V nally threaded tubular casing 10'; The casing 10 provides a support and guide for the springs 50, which may consist of tempered steel members formed of strips and bent to substantially the shape shown for the purpose of frictionally gripping the stem 29 and interposing a predetermined amount of resistance to relative movement between the housing 10 and the'needle valve 21.

Various types of frictional devices or lost mo-v tion devices or ,iluid pressurearrangements for accomplishing this result mayfbe employed, and are substantially equivalent to the springs illustrated. For example, each of the springs 43 may consist of a resilient sheet metal member having Sleeve 10 is provided with apertures 1I, providing communication between the space 12 inside the sleeve and the pressure chamber 2 I. The

stem 29 of needle valve 21- supports a second needle valve 13 of similar construction at its oppositeend for cooperation with the port 68, Needle valve 13 is the by-pass valve.

Various types of pressure Jresponsive diaphragme may be used, but the bellows type of dla.- phra'gm is lpreferably employed on account of the greater range of movement provided by this type of diaphragm aidwthe certainty of operation of such a structure. l

Operative embodiments of the invention may.

age of the liquid past the piston and the.depositof particles of dirt between the wall of the piston and that of the cylinder, and it is preferable to employ the bellows type of diaphragm illustrated.

The upper end of the cap or cover 5I is preferably provided witlna threaded lug 59 which is adapted to receivealcap 60 for sealing the pressure adjustment screw bolt 6I.,The lug 59 has an internally threaded bore 62 :for receiving the bolt 6I which is secured in place by a lock nut 63. At its inner end the bolt 6I .engages a sheet metal member which is formed with a socket 64 for receiving the inner end of the bolt and with an annular seat 65 for supporting the end of ahelical coilspring B6. gli e The coil spring 66 is under a suitalndnitial pressure and is compressed between the end plate 5E and the plate 64, which is, of course, supported by the casing II. s

The amount of pressure of the spring 88 tendits ends engaging the cylindrical wall of the in- CTI ing to move the diaphragm or bellows 55 downward may be regulated by means of the screw bolt 6| and the bolt 6| is thus adapted to predetermine the pressure at which the pressure responsive valves will be actuated.

The operation of the present type of pressure responsive valve is as follows: When the oil pump is started and the oil pressure is generated thereby, oil under pressure is conducted to the pressure chamber 2| through the conduit |2, and as soon as the pressure in chamber 2| has reached a predetermined amount the oil under pressure causes the bellows diaphragm 55 to collapse. The oil under pressure reacts against the natural resiliency of the diaphragm or bellows and also against the pressure of the spring 66 and causes the bellows 55 vto move upward; carrying with it the housing 1|] and needle valve 21.

The needle valve 21 first opens the port 25, but after the shouldei` 3B on the needle valve engages the flange 35, the needle valve does not move any farther away from its seat 24. The nozzle is then supplied with oil Luider pressure, and as the pressure in the chamber 2| still continues to increase, housing is moved upward by the bellows 55, but the needle valve 21 being held, slippage occurs between the stem 29 and the springs 56, thereby' causing the needle val-ve 13 to open the port 68, whch has been closed up to this time. The excess of oil underpressure is by-passed through the ports 1| and 58 into the bellows 55 and out through the conduit 20, back to the tank, and the oil pressure at the nozzle is constantly maintained within predetermined pressure limits.

When the pump motor is shut down, the motor, being stopped by disconnection of the electrical current supply, the pump stops, and as soon as the pump stops the excess of lquid fuel under pressure passes out of the pressure chamber 2| of the valve through the by-pass conduit I4. The pressure in the chamber 2| then diminishes and the bellows 55 tends to move downward under the influence of spring 55, which is not resisted to the same extent by the diminished fluid pressure in,

the chamber 2|.

When the piston moves upward, the springs permit a slidng movement between the housing 10 andstem 29, due to the fact that the stop 35 prevents further movement and the positive resistance of the stop 35 overcomes the lesser resistance of the friction between stem 29 and springs 5B. v

As soon as the housing 1D starts to move downward, the needle valve 21, which is gripped by the springs 50, moves with the housing 15 and tends to close the needle valve conduit rst.

When it has moved far enough to effect a closure of the'port 25, then it can move no farther and the positive resistance of the valve seat 24 against the needle valve 21 overcomes the frictional resistance of the gripping springs 50, and

the stem 29 slides between the springs as the housing continues to move downward. This causes the needle valve 13 to close the by-pass port 68, and when the valve again reaches the position of Fig. 1, the needle valve 21 and the needle valve 13 are both. positively held shut by the spring pressure 56.

If desired, the needle valve may be provided with suitable leakage grooves or other leakage -means for permitting leakage after initial closure,

to reduce the pressure in chamber 2 I.

It will thus be observed that Aby means of the friction device 50 or the lost motion connection between the needle valve and the piston valve, the

iently supported by the springs and permitted to' become self-aligning with respect to the frustoconical valve seats with which the needle valves engage. This resilient frictional support enables the needle valves to seat more perfectly andthus assures a better closure, as well as effecting a change in the sequence of the operation of the valves over the prior art.

When pressure responsive valves constructed according to the present invention are employed,

(the valve outlet to the nozzle is closed quite promptly after the pump is shut down and there is no dribbling of the oil out of the nozzle under reduced pressure nor any continued supply of oil' after the blower has ceased operating.

The imperfect combustion and resulting carbonization and the puiiing noise which result from lack of air in the devices of the prior art are eliminated by the use of this improved pressure responsive valve, and the operating characteristics of the system are greatly improved.

While we have illustrated a preferred embodiment of our invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and we do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, butJ desire to avail ourselves of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a pressure responsive valve for oil burners, the combination of a casing provided with a pressure chamber and with inlet, burner outlet and -by-pass ports, a pressure responsive diaphragm carried by said casing and located to be responsive to the pressure of oil in said chamber, valve means for controlling the outlet port and valve means for controlling the by-pass port, both said valve means being controlled by said pressure responsive diaphragm, and one of said ports being located in a wall of said diaphragm and a lost motion connection between one of said valve means and said diaphragm whereby-either valve may be actuated without actuatng the other Valve throughout a predetermined range, said lost motion means comprising means vfor sliding frictional engagement between one of said valves and a part carried by said diaphragm, and stop means for preventing further movement of one of said valves and causing sliding at the point of frictional engagement.

2. In a pressure responsive valve for oil burners, the combination of a casing provided with a pres- .sure chamber and with inlet, burner outlet and either valve may be actuated without actuating toA the other valve throughout a predetermined range, said valves comprising a pair of needle valves frictionally and slidably mounted with respect to said bellows.

3. Ina pressure responsivevalve for oil burn-r ers, the combination of a casing provided. with a pressure chamber and with inlet, burner outlet and by-pass Vports, a pressure responsive bellows carried by said casing and located to be responsive to the pressure of oil in said chamber, valve means for controlling the outlet 5port and valve means for controlling the by-pass port, both said valve means being controlled Vby said pressure responsive bellows, and a lost motion connection between one of said valve means and said bellows whereby either valve may be actuated without actuating the other valve throughout a predetermined range, said by-pass port being located inthe Wall of said bellows, and said valve means comprising a pair of needle valves slidably mounted with respect to said bellows, one of said needle' valves controlling said by-pass port, and.

the other of said needle valves controlling said outlet port, sa'id lost motion connection compris- 'ing a plurality of springs carried by said bellows and resiliently gripping the stem of said needle Valves.

4. In a pressure responsive valve for oil burners, the combination of a casing provided with a pressure chamber and with inlet, burner outlet and by-pass ports, a pressure responsivebellows carried by said casing and located to be responsive to'the pressure of oil in said chamber, valve means for controlling the outlet port and valve means for controlling the by-pass port, both said valve means being controlled by said pressure, responsive bellows, and' a lost motion connection between one of said valve means and said bellows whereby either valve may be actuated withoutY actuating the other valve throughout a predetermined range, said valves comprising a pair of needle valves with a common stem carried by said bellows and slidably mounted with respect to a supporting body, said body having a plurality of resilient members frictionally engaging the common stem of said needle valves.

5. In a pressure responsive valve for oil burners, the combination of a casing provided with -a pressure chamber and with inlet, burner outlet and by-pass ports, a pressure responsive bellows carried by said casing and located to be responsive to the pressure of oil in said chamber, valve means for controlling the outlet port and valve means for controlling the by-pass port, both said valve means being controlled by said pressure responsive bellows, and a lost motion connection between one of said valve means and' said bellows whereby either valve may be actuated Without actuating the other valve throughout a predetermined range, sadby-pass port being located in the wall of said prsing a pair of needle valves slidably mounted with respect to said bellows, one of said needle valves controlling said by-pass port, and the other of said needle valves controlling said outlet.

6. In avpressure responsive valve for oil burnfers, the combination of a casing provided .with a pressure chamber and with inlet, burner outlet and by-pass ports, a pressure responsive bellows carried by said casing and located to be responbellows, and said bellows comsive to the pressure of oil in said chamber, valve means for controlling the outlet port and valve means for controlling the by-pass port, both said valve means being controlled by said pressure responsive bellows, and a lost motion connection between one of said valve means and said bellows whereby either valve may be actuated Without actuating the other valve throughout a predetermined range, said bellows being provided with said by-pass port, and said valve means comprising a pair of needle valves controlled by said bel- OWS. '7. In a pressure responsive valve/for oil burners, the combination of a casing'provided with a pressure chamber and with inlet, burner outlet, and by-pass ports, a pressure responsive bellows carried by said casing and located to be responsive to the pressure of oil in said chamber, said bypass port being located in one wall of lsaid bel-r lows, valve means controlling said by-pass port and said outlet port carried by a common stem, releasable means carried bysaid bellows for releasably. engaging said valve means, said releasable means being adapted to permit movement of said valve means with respect to said bellows, and stop means located to engage said valve means whereby said valve means first opens the burner port and then opens the by-pass port andupon closing said valve means first closes the burner port and then closes the by-pass port.

8. In a pressure responsive valve for 4oil burners, the combination of a casing provided with a pressure chamber and with inlet, burner outlet, and by-pass ports, a pressureresponsive bellows carried by said casing and located to be responsive to the pressure of oil in said chamber, said by-pass port being locatedr in one wall of said bellows, valve means controlling said by-pass port and said outlet port carried by a common stem, releasable means carried by said bellows for releasably engaging said valve means, said releasable means being adapted to permit movement of said valve means with respect to said bellows, and stop means located to engage said valve means whereby said valve means iirst opens the burner -port and then opens the by-pass port and upon closing said valve means rst closes the burner port and then closes the by-pass port, said releasable means comprising a 'plurality of springs re siliently gripping the said common stem of said valve means, and said valve means comprisingY needle valves carried by said stem.

9. In 'a pressure responsive valve, the combi,- nation of a casingprovided with inlet, outlet and by-pass ports, valve means for controlling said outlet port', and valve means for'controlling said by-pass port` a pressure responsive diaphragm means for actuating said valves, one of said ports beng located in a wall of said diaphragm, and lost motion connecting means between one of said valve means and said'pressure responsive meansx whereby the pressure responsive means operates to open the outletport yiirst at a predetermined pressure and subsequently to open the by-pass port at a predetermined pressure, and upon closing movement to close said outlet port first and subsequently to close said by,pass port upon a predetermined reduction in pressure.

ARTHUR C.`KLECKNER. HARRISON E. FELLOWS. 

